Kagome and the Beads of Subjugation
by Tessadragon
Summary: Inuyasha finally gets his own back on Kagome, but in the process is sacrificing his dignity because of the word 'Sit'. Rating's been upped because reviewers have been swearing, lol
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: This is just a fictional story about Inuyasha, based on the TV series. I don't own any of the characters. Keep reading, people!

Tessadragon

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Chapter 1

"Sesshomaru!" Inuyasha bellowed, jumping up and dropping the pot of noodles he'd been about to eat. The fact that they spilled across the grass only made him angrier as though his brother, who wasa full demon unlike him, standing tall and impressive far across the meadow, was personally responsible. "Get it through that thick skull...we were here first!"

Watching him, Kagome sighed and started folding up the picnic blanket. She'd travelled with Inuyasha for several months and it wasn't new to her, how Inuyasha squabbled with his older brother! Worse than me and Sota, she thought, thinking fondly of her younger brother back in the modern era. She never failed to hold private amazement at how right now she was sitting in a beautiful sunlit meadow in the feudal era, centuries before she was meant to have been born!

I'll never regret it either, she thought positively. The friends she'd gained here were amazing people: Miroku the lecherous monk, Sango the demon-slayer, Shippo the adorable little fox demon kid, and Kirara, such a sweet little cat demon--though when she had to fight she was definitely no kitten! And of course Inuyasha...she always knew it was why she was here. Inuyasha the half demon. She'd battle alongside him until they got all the Sacred Jewel shards back from Naraku! She didn't like to think of what would happen after that though, she just knew that Inuyasha wouldn't go and forget her after all the times she'd made him faceplant just by saying 'Sit!'

The sound of Tetsusaiga's gleaming blade crashing against Sesshomaru's ferocious sword brought her back to angrily realising that Inuyasha had completely forgotten the picnic she had taken ages preparing, just so he could fight his big brother. Gritting her teeth, she started packing Inuyasha's food away. I'm not giving him anything to eat when he comes limping back!

Miroku, looking amused, reached out and grabbed the last riceball. "Don't pack up the food," he suggested. "Inuyasha and Sesshomaru always fight like this, remember. We may as well all continue with the meal."

Kagome looked over at Inuyasha just as he sent the Windscar attack at Sesshomaru. Then she nodded at Miroku. Sango gave her a small smile then took her hand away from her Hirikoss weapon, realising there was no point in joining in this battle. Miroku reached out an offered her a piece of the omelette. A wary look in her eyes, Sango accepted.

Looking over, Kagome began watching as Inuyasha glared at his older brother who'd just batted away the Windscar easily. Sesshomaru was tall and resplendent as always, his aloof manner hardly upset, his eyes narrowed. Some metres behind him, at the edge of the woods through which Kagome herself and the others had travelled last night, she saw Sesshomaru's fellow travellers: Jaken (that nasty little imp, Kagome couldn't help thinking), and the adorable little girl Rin. Rin raised her hand and gave Kagome a wave, and Jaken's scolding rose through the air: "Rin! Don't wave at those pathetic humans!"

Kagome's eye twitched and a second later, a fist-sized rock hit Jaken on the head. "Ow!"

Rin giggled.

Sesshomaru had turned his head slightly to take in the sight of his vassal, Jaken, rubbing his sore skull, and Rin rubbing her toe across the ground uncomfortably, used to her lord's ways.

"Go, Inuyasha," he ordered coldly. "And I will not strike you down."

Inuyasha spat, "Do you think I'm that much of a weakling?"

"Yes," Sesshomaru said simply, sheathing the vicious second sword he carried.

A growl rose in Inuyasha's throat...

"Inuyasha!" Kagome called and involuntarily Inuyasha's head turned, his ears twitching. Kagome held up his treasured pot of noodles. A tortured expression rose on Inuyasha's face..."Kagome?" he demanded.

A stern look came over Kagome's pleasant complexion. "If you fight with Sesshomaru, I won't let you have the noodles."

"As if you could stop me," Inuyasha scoffed.

Kagome smiled blandly...Inuyasha got a sorry-for-himself feeling.

"Sit," Kagome said calmly.

With a bang, Inuyasha face-planted.

Sesshomaru humourlessly went back towards Jaken and Rin, then saw that Rin had gone.

Rin was idly wandering towards Kagome, Miroku, Sango and Shippo. Kagome smiled and offered her a spare pot of noodles. Rin looked at it in puzzlement, "What do I do with it?"

"Kagome!" Inuyasha howled. Sesshomaru didn't look pleased either, but that wasn't unusual for him. "Rin. Come back here. We are going."

Rin looked at the pot of noodles that Kagome had just poured the boiling water into. She looked torn between having her food and going back to Sesshomaru.

Kagome took over, standing up and going to Sesshomaru, "It's okay…she just wants something to eat. It'll save you having to wait for her to get something to eat later."

Sesshomaru regarded her like an insect but finally strode back into the woods.

Inuyasha glared after Seshomaru's retreating back for a few moments, then switched his glare to Rin who was hungrily devouring her pot of noodles, then he transferred his glare to Kagome, who glared back at him then shrugged and handed him a pot of noodles. He hardly hesitated, ravenously slurping the noodles.

"So, Rin, how's it going?" Kagome queried, nibbling a piece of omelette.

"It's great!" Rin beamed at her, a bit of sauce on her chin. Cattishly, her tongue flicked out to clean it, then she turned her head to where Sesshomaru had gone, a bit of worry in her eyes.

"It's okay, he won't go without you," Kagome assured her.

"Oh I know that," Rin said confidently. "My lord is a good person. He has saved me many times."

Inuyasha growled low in his throat. Kagome hid an irritated look. Rin smiled indulgently, used to demonic attitude, and devoted herself to finishing the noodles before jumping to her feet. She cast a courteous curtsey to Kagome, "Thank you! Bye!" Then ran back across to the woods to search for Sesshomaru.

"Aw," Kagome smiled, "What a cute kid…"

"It is strange for such a child to be so happy travelling with Sesshomaru," Sango agreed with what Kagome had left unsaid.

Inuyasha snorted. "She's probably retarded."

"Inuyasha!" Kagome lost her temper, jumping to her feet. "SIT!"

"ARGH!"

Kagome didn't even bother to wait and see how bruised Inuyasha's face must look. She stormed off, accidentally in the direction of Rin.

"Kagome!" Inuyasha thundered.

"Inuyasha!" Miroku snapped. "It was unreasonable of you to say such a thing about the girl. Be a man and say sorry to her."

Inuyasha glowered at him and walked off after Kagome.

Miroku and Sango sighed in unison, knowing perfectly well that Inuyasha wasn't apologising to anyone.

Shippo hesitated then bounded after Kagome and Inuyasha.

"I suppose we'd better tidy it up," Miroku said mournfully. Sango hid a smile and quietly watched the lecherous monk, her comrade, fold up the picnic blanket.


	2. Chapter 2

Many thanks for the 4 kind reviews I received from Kagome010, The Fairy Princess Lady, Blood of a Tear, and Charlotte.

Tessadragon

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Chapter 2 

"I can't believe the nerve of him!" Kagome yelled at the trees as she stormed deeper into the forest, as far away from Inuyasha as she could get. Rin flinched from ahead where she'd come to stop, having found her lord, the demon Sesshomaru. He'd been standing waiting in a clearing a half mile ahead.

Sesshomaru gavehis young charge, Rin,a calm look, then turned his face away. "Come, Rin,"he commanded coolly, the faintest of a warm breeze ruffling at the immense furs he wore over his right shoulder. Jaken, beside him, held a strange lizard-like horse by the reins.

"A'houn!" Rin greeted the lizard-horse happily, running to fuss it, and it returned the affection, rubbing its muzzle against her head: the little girl giggled. Kagome couldn't help but smile at such a sweet and affectionate scene, though she was as always puzzled how Sesshomaru abided, even encouraged Rin's company.

Suddenly nervous, Kagome waited where she stood.

"I don't know why you put up with that vermin," Sesshomaru said over his shoulder to Kagome, referring to Inuyasha, then looked away in his aloof manner as though refusing to accept that he'd just spoken to a human. Then without another word, he walked away. Rin smiled at Kagome and scrambled onto A'houn's back, then the lizard-horse turned and lumbered after Sesshomaru. Jaken was already up ahead, struggling on his short legs to stride along beside Sesshomaru, comically overcast by the tall, narrow staff he carried.

Now alone, Kagome slumped down onto the nearest fallen tree she could find, sighed and rested her head in her hands. She could feel a headache forming. "How horrible of him," she muttered. "That jerk!"

"Kagome!" Inuyasha yelled, storming through the woods, leaves and twigs crunching beneath his bare feet. "Where are you?"

Kagome crossed her arms and raised her head defiantly, refusing to move from the fallen tree trunk, which was soft with moss.

"Didn't mean it," he muttered on finding her.

Kagome glared at him through narrowed eyes. "You're a real jerk, Inuyasha. I can't believe you called the girl a retard!"

"I said sorry!" Inuyasha yelled.

"You didn't!"

"Fine! I'm sorry!" His lips were pressed tight and his fists were clenching tighter and tighter until Kagome was sure they'd bleed any second. This was the most she could expect from him.

"Fine." She didn't look at him.

Glowering, he sat down cross-legged on the floor and began cracking his knuckles in a methodical fashion. Kagome gritted her teeth but said nothing, just shut her eyes. Through her closed eyelids she saw the dancing mottled shades of jungle-green flickering with woven shades of sunlight, a dizzying sight for her mind to process.

She knew Inuyasha watched her as she fell into a doze. It made her feel safe, though he still made her indignant. She wondered whether to pretend to talk in her sleep. She knew exactly what word she'd say. Sit! A small sneaky smile found its way onto her lips.

Still, Inuyasha kept watch on her, flicking a lazy eye over Miroku and Sango as they came towards them and silently set up camp around them. Inuyasha said nothing to them, not keen on waking Kagome up. Recently he'd found out that Kagome spoke in her sleep: it was one of his least favourite things and he didn't fancy crashing down from the tree branches in his sleep.

In the morning, Kagome found not just Inuyasha was with her, but Miroku, Sango, Shippo and sweet little Kirara had set up camp around her. She smiled, comforted, and looked up to see as usual that Inuyasha had curled up in the branches directly over her.

Opening one tawny eye, he glanced warily down at her as she stifled a yawn and blinked sleepily at the morning sky through the canopy of branches. Then she stiffened and turned.

Immediately Inuyasha was on his guard, his hand at the hilt of his Tetsusaiga. "Who's there?" he barked.

Sango and Miroku blinked awake. Miroku grabbed his staff and wriggled free from his blanket. Sango grabbed her Hirikoss, staring deep into the shadows.

_"Sister."_

That one word.

"Kohaku?" Sango whispered.

Silence.

Inuyasha jumped from his branch and leapt after the direction of the voice. Moments later he was back, shaking his head in confusion. "I don't get it. There's nothing."

"You couldn't find him?" Sango asked, distress creeping into her voice.

"Go after him, Sango," Kagome said quietly, knowing Sango's heart was always torn by the plight of her younger brother.

"Thank you." Sango said as Kirara transformed to her demon-cat form, her fiery tail thrashing in the morning breeze. Sango climbed onto her.

"Miroku, go with her," Inuyasha said sternly. The monk nodded and joined Sango on Kirara. Moments later they were a speck in the morning sky, then they were gone.

Kagome sat down worried. "Do you think it's a trick?" she asked Inuyasha. He shrugged. "Could be. At least we know those two are sensible."

Shippo was still snuffling in his sleep, cocooned in his blanket.

"May as well do breakfast," Inuyasha suggested. Kagome half-heartedly went to fetch her knapsack where she stored the food. Inuyasha stopped her, laying his hand on hers. For a moment she froze, for a moment her heart beat a little faster.

"They'll be okay," Inuyasha said awkwardly. "They're tough enough."

Kagome forced a smile. "Yeah. I know. But I wonder when they'll get back."

Inuyasha decided that was enough sensitive talk, and started rooting through Kagome's knapsack.

"Inuyasha! Get out of my stuff!" Kagome yelled.

Inuyasha ignored her until he had his hands on one of the pots of noodles.

"Sit!"

**Bang.**

Inuyasha growled at Kagome.

"Serves you right for being so rude!"

Shippo giggled from his blankets,wriggling out and studying Inuyasha mischievously.

Inuyasha got up, then yanked angrily at the stupid necklace around his head. "One day I'll get rid of these things," he snarled.

Kagome shrugged. "You haven't so far."

Shippo sniggered, and Inuyasha rounded on him, raising his fist.

"Kagome!" Shippo whimpered.

_"Inuyasha…"_

The half demon growled, crossed his arms, his vast sleeves billowing as though the rage going through him was the morning breeze.Then his eyes narrowed."I'm not hungry. We may as well get going."

"You're not hungry?" Kagome echoed, astonished, taking her bag from him. "Are you sure you're not ill?"

"I'm not like you…I don't get ill!" Inuyasha snapped and set off walking.

"Come on! I need to have my breakfast!" Kagome insisted.

"I smell blood," Inuyasha said suddenly, raising his head in the South East direction.

"From where?" Kagome forgot her need for breakfast as anxiousness came over her complexion. Immediately she checked her bags were firmly tied shut. "And what should we do about Miroku and Sango?"

"Human blood. And…I know where it's from!" Inuyasha grabbed Kagome around the waist and took off at a run, taking the ground in huge leaps and bounds. Kagome shut her eyes against the blurring of the green, then opened her eyes again. It was like going on a rollercoaster every time Inuyasha grabbed her like this…

With difficulty, Shippo wriggled to Inuyasha's neck, where he could talk privately to the half demon. "I don't smell blood," he said superiorly.

"That's because you're a runt," Inuyasha said, but his ears were twitching frenziedly.

"You liar," Shippo said in disgust, the breeze whipping at his words. "But why are you lying?"

Inuyasha didn't answer, just ran faster, the forest disappearing behind them, then he was leaping across the recently ploughed fields, across a bridge…

"The village!" Kagome gasped, recognising where they were. But wait, it sure didn't look like any blood had been spilled here…

"You liar! You really had me scared!" Kagome yelled as soon as Inuyasha put her down. He didn't waste any time: he ran away from her, but her voice carried after him. "**_SIT!_**"

"Wow," Shippo said, jumping from Kagome's shoulder and going to see the crater that Inuyasha's body had made as the half demon faceplanted. "I've never seen you go that deep before."


	3. Chapter 3

My thanks to: Fluffyfafa, hentail8ancilla, Blood of a Tear, Sayuri-chan 16, and Kagome010 for reading and reviewing chapter 2: keep reading and enjoying, people!

Disclaimer: This is just a fictional story about Inuyasha, based on the TV series. I don't own any of the characters. Keep reading, people!

Tessadragon

* * *

Chapter 3

By the herb patch nearest the priestess's hut, Kagome confided in Kaede, the wisened priestess who'd in Kagome's previous lifetime had been her younger sister. "I swear Inuyasha never thinks before he talks! He's been so insulting!"

Kaede nodded, hiding an amused smile: she knew Inuyasha was always like this, and knew that Kagome also knew it: why would she expect any different? _Ah, to be young and in love_, she thought, her smile broadening.

"He lied just to come back here! He could have just said he wanted to come back here!" Kagome disentangled a maze of nettle stems, gripping them as hard as she could to stop them stinging her. It was her least favourite plant to deal with nonetheless.

Kaede continued sorting through the herbs she'd been plucking from one of the wild-herb patches. "However he _does_ have a sly look in his eyes…and I do have to wonder why he's loitering by my hut. I hope he is not planning something."

"Him planning something?" Kagome said scornfully, picking a bit of errant root from one of the herbs, then scraping a bead of dirt from another bulb. "At least I don't have to worry about that…he doesn't _like_ planning anything…he just goes ahead and does whatever enters his skull!"

Kaede gave her a thoughtful look then turned back to sorting the herbs. "There is that saying, of you can teach a young dog new tricks…and Inuyasha is still young."

Kagome hid a sceptical look and focused on going through the rest of the herbs until they were in neat piles of what type they were, and for their purposes. She breathed in the smell of one of the crushed thyme plants, then looked towards where she'd last seen Inuyasha skulking. She had a feeling he was inside Kaede's hut…

"The old hag's gotta have something here," Inuyasha muttered, then took hold of the subjugation rosary around his neck and inhaled deeply, ignoring his own and Kagome's scent, and then Kaede's scent. Then he breathed in the smell of Kaede's hut, slowly sifting through the scents of herbs until he tracked down the very faint scent of the same cloth that had once been wrapped around the rosary. Crossing to the other corner of the hut, he began going through what he could find. "Damn!" he cursed as soon as he found and opened the jewellerybox where the rosary had been stored long ago. Of course it was empty…it'd been such a faint hope to find a second subjugation necklace.

He'd been thinking about this all morning as he'd run: it gave him a fierce headache like he'd been lying in the sun too long. "Now my brain feels broke," he muttered resentfully, knocking his knuckles against his forehead.

So he needed a priestess…for a moment he thought of trying to seek out Kikyo, but he had no idea where she was…and a nagging suspicion told him that he'd not get help from her. He couldn't ask Kaede: she'd know what he wanted to do. He certainly couldn't ask Kagome…!

He uttered a growl just at thinking of the girl, then got up and prowled the hut again, feeling helpless.

"Ow!" It was Kagome's voice.

Instinct prevailed even though at this moment he hated her, and he ran outside, his hand at the hilt of his sword.

Kagome shook her hand as though that'd help, and looked around for some dock leaves. "Typical!" she muttered.

"Try dipping it in cold water," Kaede suggested, looking up from the extra long tuft of bloodwort that she was cutting into shorter pieces. "I will," Kagome answered, then saw Inuyasha's face creased in worry.

"What's wrong?" he demanded, turning his face to look for an enemy.

"I just stung myself on a nettle," Kagome said embarrassedly, hiding her hand behind her back. "That's all."

His nose wrinkled. "I thought you were being attacked!"

Kagome went red. I don't think I'd say 'ow' if I was being attacked! But this time she held her tongue. "I'm gonna try and find some dock leaves."

"I'll come with you," he said coolly, taking his hand from Tetsusaiga's hilt, then led the way past the herb patch, seeing that there were no dock leaves growing there. "Usually dock leaves grow near nettles."

"It's okay, I'll just put my hand in cold water," Kagome said blushing.

"Hmph." Inuyasha acted as if he hadn't heard her, rooting among the many leafed plants and bushes surrounding one of the trees at the rim of the forest. For a moment his heart beat faster…

_They called this the Forest of Inuyasha when he was bound here_, Kagome remembered sadly, following Inuyasha deeper into the forest. _What do they call it now that he's no longerin an enchanted sleep against the Tree of Ages?_

Their path naturally took them towards the tree where Inuyasha had been bound. He barely seemed aware of where he was going, searching intently for dock leaves until he found one and pounced on it, tearing it from his stalk, then looked up…he was standing in front of the tree where he'd once been bound. Was the bark paler where his body had once been bound by growing vines? he wondered. His heart fought to slow itself; the tree was like a force pulling him towards its history, the history he shared with it.

A few steps behind him, Kagome steadied herself against a younger tree, seeing Inuyasha stand still for once, sunlight dappling shadows along his red kimono and long silver hair as though he was the embodiment of movement even though he stood deathly still.

_Does he still think of Kikyo when he sees this tree?_ Kagome thought sadly. _Of course he does…though when I see this tree, I don't know if I think more of how Kikyo bound him to it or how I freed him from it._ Like an unwilling ghost she remembered her compulsion to touch his ears…not like she was asking if they were real…just feeling she needed to touch them, see if they looked as soft as they looked, if they would twitch at her touch…

She balled her fists at her side against the sudden wish to touch Inuyasha's ears again, and involuntarily hissed in pain as her nettle-burned hand began hurting again. Inuyasha turned back to her, for a moment like he was in a dream, then was crossing back to her, reaching for her hand, and her heart was beating harder…

Gently he pressed the dock leaf to her hand. "Better take care of it." His voice was softer than usual.

_Is he thinking of me or Kikyo while he's here?_ Kagome thought dazedly and laid her hand over the dock leaf, over Inuyasha's hand accidentally and yanked her hand back like he'd electrocuted her. He jerked free too and walked off quickly. For a moment Kagome stood still, the dock leaf over her hand, and through it she dared to think she felt the heat of Inuyasha's hand. Then she walked after Inuyasha, slower, feeling a strange but familiar sense of reproachful disappointment that brought a blush to her cheeks. _What did I think would happen…Or what did I want to happen?_ As always she didn't dare to voice it even in her own mind.

"Come on!" Inuyasha's voice called brash and impatient from ahead.

_Stupid, stupid,_ he told himself bitterly, remembering how quickly she'd yanked her hand away. _You're stupid to touch her. We're worlds apart, remember?_ He always told himself that. _There's no future with us…she's from the future. She wouldn't give up the world she's always known to be with me…and I don't want her to! I want to travel. I want to fight! Put those stupid demons in their place and get a good bit of territory…_In the back of his mind he imagined stamping his foot down on the wolf-demon Koga's scrawny neck, and he guiltily knew that it wasn't from a desire to just put a stupid demon in it's place…!

"Stupid," he said aloud.

"What's stupid?" Kagome caught up to him reluctantly.

"You," he said before he thought.

"Excuse me?" Kagome yelled, outraged. "Why am _I_ stupid, dog-boy!"

_That's always her excuse, that I'm a dog!_ He thought, anger rising. _I'm a canine half-demon! Not something that you throw a stick for!_ In the back of his mind he imagined that kid Rin throwing a stick and Sesshomaru bounding after it on all fours…_Maybe that's why he lets her travel with him,_ he thought snidely and sniggered involuntarily.

"So?" Kagome demanded, coming to a halt in front of him. "Why do you think I'm stupid?"

"Letting yourself get stung by a nettle." Inuyasha said immediately then ran for his life and dignity.

"Oh no you don't! SIT!"

He crashed into the ground, almost smashing his teeth. "Hey!" he said with difficulty, climbing slowly to his feet. He'd bit his tongue and now his words came out funny. "Tha' hurt!" He gingerly touched his tongue and a bit of blood came away on his fingers. He glared at Kagome.

"Serves you right for calling me stupid," Kagome said immediately.

_She never says sorry for hurting me_, Inuyasha thought, as angry with her as he'd been this morning. Then he vowed that he would get revenge on her, teach her what it's like. _I'm going to make her crash into the ground_.


	4. Chapter 4

My thanks to snowman80, KagirinaiSakusha730 and Sayuri-chan 16 for your kind reviews. My apologies for forgetting the most-important thanks in the last few chapters...this fan fiction's been obsessing me with wanting to put a new chapter up promptly each day! And much of that is thanks to everyone's words about this story!

Tessadragon

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Chapter 4

"And ye think ye were not too hard on him?" Kaede asked absently as she spooned some stew into a bowl and handed it to Kagome.

"Maybe a bit," Kagome muttered as she took the bowl and took a spoon for herself. "But he was calling me stupid, Kaede! Should I have just let him get away with that?"

"I believe many girls, no matter what the age, reward the insult with a hurt look and walk away until the young man apologise," the wise old priestess said quietly, while the fire over which she was boiling the stew, cast its crackling light over her craggy features.

"But are their young men half demons?" Kagome sighed, too distracted to start eating the stew.

"So he is _your_ young man?" Kaede queried, holding back a chuckle, and Kagome went bright red. "No! He's not mine!" _He's Kikyo's_, she thought with a sigh.

Kaede shook her head sadly. _Always so confused, poor child…what's written on her face, she needs to look in a mirror to see_.

Inuyasha, sleeping in a tree outside the hut, tipped his face up towards the night sky, seeing its dusting of silver stars though a tight knot of anger continued to consume his thoughts.

"Hey, Inuyasha?" Shippo scrabbled up the tree trunk and perched on a shorter and thicker branch above the half demon's head.

"What, squirt." Inuyasha didn't bother to look at him.

"Why'd we come back here? Can Miroku and Sango find us?"

"They'll know we came back here," Inuyasha yawned widely, reclining his lanky length along the tree branch, his vast red sleeves hanging from his wrists and ruffling in the evening breeze. "They know we always do."

"But why'd we come back instead of waiting for them?" the young fox-demon insisted, perching on the branch above Inuyasha.

"Wait until you're older and then ask," Inuyasha diverted lazily, turning his face away and shutting his golden-tawny eyes.

"It ain't anything to do with girls and boys getting together is it?" Shippo asked shrewdly, immediately thinking that it was more of that romantic mush between Miroku and Sango…_Cos it sure ain't Inuyasha and Kagome acting romantic!_ He thought wickedly, nodding to himself.

"Of course not!" Inuyasha's dog ears flattened against his head.

Shippo dropped onto Inuyasha's branch, "Then what is it? Why'd you abandon Miroku and Sango and insist on coming back here? Wait…I know!" Shippo looked at Inuyasha excitedly. "It's someone's birthday, ain't it?"

"What?" Inuyasha fell from his branch and crashed into the ground. Whining swear words under his breath he jumped to his feet, "See what you made me do, you little brat!"

"_Ka-go-me_!" Shippo howled as Inuyasha leapt at him and slammed his fist into the demon kid's skull. Wriggling, Shippo fought with teeth and claws to get free, as a huge bruise rose on his small head.

"What are you doing, Inuyasha?" Kagome yelled, coming out of Kaede's hut. "_SIT_!"

"_Stop it_!" Inuyasha wailed, not even bothering to get up from the ground this time.

"Kagome," Shippo whispered, padding to Kagome's bedroll, in the empty hut where she was sleeping for the night.

The raven-haired teen mumbled something in her sleep and refused to wake up.

"Kagome," Shippo said more insistently, tugging at the sleeve of Kagome's nightdress. "Kagome, can we talk?"

"Sit," Kagome mumbled in her sleep.

"Wow, she's really addicted to that word," Shippo said admiringly, rocking back on his heels and feeling sorry for the half-demon. "I sure hope I never get one of those necklaces on me, especially if Kagome's around."

Kagome opened her eyes. "Shippo…what're you doing here?"

"Is it someone's birthday?" Shippo whispered. "Is that why Inuyasha's so moody?"

Kagome wrinkled her nose and sat up, blinking at Shippo in the warm darkness of the wooden hut. "He's never said anything about it…in fact, he's never said when his birthday is!"

"I wouldn't think he'd ever say when his birthday is," Shippo agreed. "And it must be kinda depressing to have slept through fifty birthdays."

"Like Rip Van Winkle," Kagome agreed with a chuckle.

"Who's that?"

"Never mind," Kagome said hastily, not feeling up to trying to talk literature with the little fox-demon. "Shippo, who'd know when Inuyasha's birthday is?"

"His mom," Shippo offered.

"Someone who isn't dead."

"Hmm…" Shippo thought about it. "Myouga!"

"Myouga? Oh yeah! Inuyasha's vassal!" Kagome sighed. "But we haven't seen him since he ran away from the last battle…Inuyasha was so mad at him!"

"He's always mad," Shippo said wisely.

Kagome could feel her heart melting as she thought about it all…if it was Inuyasha's birthday, no wonder he'd been bad-tempered! And no wonder he wouldn't tell them! She could never imagine Inuyasha saying 'yeah, my birthday's today'. It just wasn't his nature to do anything that could be interpreted as indulging his human nature. _Always insisting on acting like a demon_, she thought, suppressing a sigh.

"Kagome, can I tell you a secret?" Shippo asked awkwardly.

"Sure," Kagome said, surprised. "What is it?"

"Promise you won't tell Inuyasha?" the kid insisted.

"I promise," Kagome said with a sigh and a faint smile.

"Myouga's…um, not actually gone anywhere."

"What do you mean?"

"Um…" Shippo twiddled his thumbs in agitation. "He's been hanging around for a while. He's kinda hiding again."

"From one of his lady loves?" Kagome said with a small laugh. Shippo nodded, embarrassed. "He doesn't want Inuyasha to know he's around. He's been hitching a lift with us."

"Why shouldn't he tell us?" Kagome queried, her eyes narrowing.

Shippo's thumb-twiddling sped up. "He's been dared by Totosei."

"Dared?" Kagome echoed. "Dared to do what?"

"To drink from Inuyasha for a month," Shippo said in a subdued voice. "I knew it wasn't a good idea!" he added passionately. "I told Myouga that Inuyasha would kill him if he found out!"

Kagome nodded fervently in agreement. "How long has he been doing this?"

"Two weeks."

"How has he managed to do it without getting swatted?"

"He's been at Inuyasha's ankles when we've been travelling…so Inuyasha thinks it's just the grasses scratching at his ankles, while Myouga's been drinking."

"How stupid a dare," Kagome giggled.

"You're not gonna tell Inuyasha, are you?" Shippo pressed anxiously. "If you do, I bet he'll hit me."

"I'd back you on that bet," Kagome said, struggling to hold back a laugh. "And no, I'll keep quiet about it. But where is Myouga now?"

"On Inuyasha probably," Shippo said practically.

Kagome nodded and got up, heading to the door of the hut. "I guess we should try asking him."

"What do you want?" Inuyasha demanded from his tree branch. He still looked so moody from Kagome's Sit command earlier.

"Oh, nothing," Kagome said sweetly and sat down at the base of the tree. Inuyasha watched her warily. "You're not gonna make me sit, are you? I'm tired."

Kagome shook her head and smiled. "Of course not."

"I don't like the way you're talking," Inuyasha announced, and swung around to dangle his legs off the branch as he looked down more intently at Kagome as though trying to interpret the meaning of the smile on her face. "You're trying to trick me, or catch me off my guard!"

"You're so mistrusting," Kagome retorted.

"With good reason!" Inuyasha yelled at her.

"_Shh_," Kagome whispered, thinking of the sleeping village.

Inuyasha glowered at her but obeyed, still watching Kagome as she sat down on the grass again and raised her head to intently watch the stars, dazzled by their intensity, their beauty.

"They're really not this clear in your world?" Inuyasha said as blandly as he could.

Kagome shook her head. "No…they always look so far away." Behind her back, she made a motion with her hand to Shippo, who was hiding behind the tree, out of Inuyasha's sight, trembling.

"What'd you do?" the half demon asked suspiciously, noticing how her hand moved.

"Nothing," Kagome smiled. _C'mon, Kagome_, she told herself, _You can do this…you lie to Sota all the time!_ "Can you come down? My neck's hurting, looking at you."

"Then don't look at me," Inuyasha retorted.

"Please," Kagome cajoled.

With a heavy sigh, Inuyasha jumped from the tree branch before Kagome could say 'sit', landing lightly beside her, then sullenly dropping into a cross-legged sit. Kagome blinked. Was that Myouga in Inuyasha's sleeve? Or was it her imagination?

"Oh, what is it?" Inuyasha demanded, and Kagome jumped. "Nothing!" Her voice was a shade higher than usual.

"It is something! Tell me!" He glared into her face, then sat closer.

Shippo was making frantic 'no' gestures with his little hands. Kagome gave him a sideways 'yes' look, silently urging him to quickly get Myouga.

_Aha!_ Myouga was stealthily creeping out of Inuyasha's sleeve, seeing Kagome, giving her a nervous look…

"Fox magic," Shippo mumbled then transformed into a clumsy-looking fly, a bit bigger than Myouga the flea.

"Inuyasha…" Kagome said loudly. Inuyasha jumped at her tone. "What!"

Shippo the fly trembled then lunged forward to grab Myouga, who squeaked, absolutely mystified.

"Inuyasha!" Kagome threw her arms around Inuyasha to distract him. He went beet-red: mission accomplished!

Shippo buzzed away with Myouga as fast as he could, as the flea-demon wriggled and protested. Kagome fake-sobbed to hide the noise.

"W-what?" Inuyasha was stammering, absolutely flummoxed and not sure how to deal with the fake-sobbing Kagome or the fact that she had her arms around him. "W-what's wrong?"

Raising her red eyes, Kagome saw Shippo and Myouga buzz away towards the hut, and abruptly let go of Inuyasha, who was staring at her, his nose wrinkled in confusion. "What was that about?" he demanded.

"Nothing!" Kagome jumped to her feet and ran back to the hut.

"What the—" Inuyasha shook his head, mystified and tried to go back to sleep, but couldn't stop the feelings of absolute confusion at what had just happened…and the quiet feeling that he wished Kagome was still hugging him. "Pah!" he said at himself in disgust and ordered himself to go back to sleep, jumping back up to the tree branches and curling up against the wintered bark.

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Please note: I've been told by someone that Inuyasha's thinking a little more than he usually does in the series…now I'm gonna make up an excuse for that: that Myouga's drinking the blood that usually rushes to Inuyasha's head ;-)

Your faithful fanfiction maker,

Tessa


	5. Chapter 5

My thanks to: That Bloody Demon, Premierarchange (and yes, you're right. On reflection, Kagome does say 'sit' too many times in this story...from now on i'll give her a little more restraint...problem is she's been bitten by Myouga! evil laugh), artgalgenius (i'm very glad you think everyone's in character amused it's been very interesting seeing the different views of how people perceive Inuyasha and one day i'll read the mangas, as you imply they are very good!), and hentail8ancilla. I hope you keep enjoying this...I won't let it drag on before I get to the real fun of messing with the beads of subjugation, I promise!

Your faithful fanfiction writer,

Tessadragon

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Disclaimer: Inuyasha isn't mine, except in my dreams. (Just kidding, my bf means everything to me!)

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Chapter 5 

"Myouga," Kagome asked pointedly, slipping into the hut, as Shippo, who'd transformed into a fly to grab the flea-demon from Inuyasha's robes, dropped Myouga on the floor."Have you been drinking from just Inuyasha? Or anyone else as well?"

Myouga went beet red. "Of c-course n-not! W-why w-would y-you think s-such a thing!"

Kagome grimaced: that was all the answer she needed. _Someone's gonna be itching soon._

Now Shippo popped back into his normal fox-demon form and stretched, feeling stiff from being in the bunched-up form of a fly. "Hey Myouga! When's Inuyasha's birthday?"

"The young lord's birthday?" Myouga asked, mystified. "Why on earth should you ask, Shippo?" Making himself comfortable, the flea settled to a nip of some of the bread Kagome had taken from her backpack. It always fascinated him to see things from her era. "And as for your answer…not for a long time. Heck, the Lord Sesshomaru's birthday is nearer than Lord Inuyasha's!"

Kagome giggled at the mental image of Sesshomaru blowing a party whistle and blowing out the candles.

"I don't even know if Master Inuyasha considers his age," Myouga continued. "He was asleep for fifty years, after all. That should be pretty depressing. Even demons have a mid-life crisis."

Kagome sighed sadly, trying not to think of the more disturbing image of Inuyasha driving a red car. "I suppose so."

"So that isn't what's making him act weird?" Shippo asked, taking a gulp from a bottle of water and screwing up his face as he struggled to get over the fact that he now had a face, not a fly's proboscis.

Myouga shook his head. "I would not have an idea…but I can spy on him?" he offered. "Seeing as I'm meant to stay with him to the end of the moon's cycle before going back to Totosei."

"Yes," Kagome agreed. "Thanks, Myouga." Then she gave him a less friendly look. "And if you drink a single drop more blood from me, I'll get the bug spray out."

Myouga went beet-red again. "I-It wasn't m-me," he mumbled.

"Uh huh."

Shippo got up and went to the door, peered out at the tree in whose branches Inuyasha had curled up for the night. "It looks like he's asleep," he whispered.

"I heard that!" Inuyasha's voice, indignant, floated over the night breeze. Shippo blanched.

"I don't need to sleep, you little runt," Inuyasha continued, knowing perfectly well that Shippo was listening. "You're practically as weak as these pathetic humans, needing to sleep!"

"Inuyasha," Kagome said warningly in a low voice.

He blanched, but she didn't say the three-letter word he despised, so he tried to relax back onto his branch, but couldn't get the nervousness from his limbs.

"Now," Kagome turned back to Myouga and Shippo. "Try and find out what Inuyasha's deal is, Myouga, okay?"

The flea-demon nodded unhappily. "I'd better get back to him."

"Be careful!" Shippo called after him softly.

"He'll be fine," Kagome said confidently, and absentmindedly rubbed her arm, then discovered where Myouga had sucked her blood.

Hopping as quickly as possible, Myouga jumped onto Inuyasha's sleeve and rushed to hide himself.

Inuyasha's eyelids fluttered as though he was about to sleep, then with an effort he sat up. "Don't need to sleep," he reminded himself in a mutter, then his head jerked up as a new scent seemed to explode through the air. "What the—!" he gasped, his tawny-gold eyes widening, then he leapt from the branch to the ground, landing softly, turning his head frantically to try and catch the direction that the scent came from. Myouga could only compare the franticity of Inuyasha's reaction to when Kirara the demon cat found a heap of catnip.

The half-demonglanced once towards the hut, his dog ears twitching wildly, as he silently debated if he should leave Kagome and Shippo alone, then he started walking towards the Forest of Inuyasha.

_Where's he going?_ Myouga thought desperately, then had the terrible feeling he was going towards danger, began fighting the urge to not run away…then...

"To hell with the bet!" he shrieked and leapt off Inuyasha, then hopped as fast as he could back to Kagome and Shippo.

"What the—!" Inuyasha stopped, baffled. _Did I just hear that little pest?_ "Myouga!" he snapped but there was no answer. Shaking his head, the half-demon grimaced and went back to running into the forest, his red kimono stark in the darkness like blood on ice.

"He's gone towards the forest!" Myouga bolted into the hut. Shippo gave him an unequivocal look of disgust. "You coward. You said you'd spy on him."

"There's a disclaimer in every contract I sign," Myouga said delicately but breathlessly. "Whenever there's the slightest hint of danger, I'm allowed to run for it! Self-preservation, Shippo! I'm an endangered species!"

"A flea? An endangered species? I wish!" Kagome said, grabbing her quiver of arrows, and the smooth bow, and slung them over her shoulder.

"No. Me, Myouga. I'm an endangered species!" Myouga said smugly.

"Come on, Shippo!" Kagome asked, heading to the door, an arrow in her hand with the bow.

Shippo trembled. "Must I? It's dark!"

"You're a demon, a full demon," Kagome coaxed. "And you can't let me, a puny human, go out on my own, can you?" Her insides squirmed at voluntarily calling herself 'puny' but she managed it.

"I guess not," Shippo muttered, thinking of how Inuyasha would clobber him if he didn't protect Kagome while he wasn't around. "C'mon then, Kagome. Let's find Inuyasha!" He ran out ahead of Kagome.

"That's the spirit," Kagome smiled and they headed out into the darkness, towards the forest while a mile ahead of them, Inuyasha raised his head, sniffing the air. "It's close," he muttered. He could smell blood and dirt and metal. Why was he insisting on following it? Because he'd smelled it before. When he was a child:

_Running…the demons were coming! A sob choking him in his chest, his red kimono fluttering around him as he pushed himself harder, his lungs hurting so much! Crashing to a standstill before the cliff…_

_They're coming! The sky rumbled with thunder. A split-second decision._

_Watching them through an uneven crevice, as they look around in confusion. Exalted spite rising in him. They are stupid, not seeing me here!_

_Then hurriedly squeezing his eyes shut as one of them ventures closer to explore, to try and find where the half-demon scum hid…_

_I'm not scum, I can't be scum…Mother loves me! I can't be…_

_His fists balling up so much that it hurts, and then a trickle of blood snaking down his clenched palm._

_The demons, disappointed that they can't crush the half-demon, wandered away. Struggling not to pant, so afraid, young Inuyasha waited, pressed against the underside of the cliff, holding himself there with every muscle in his body…god, his hands hurt…!_

_Dizziness washing over him, then a streak of pitch black across his vision as the shock overcame him, then he was falling, falling down the cliff! He struggled to hold back a shriek of terror, before plunging into the river, water-smoothed rocks and shards of the cliff exploding around him as he entered the fierce numbing cold…_

_He lay there in a daze, then a hand searched for his beneath the water, stroking first down his chin, his neck, his shoulder, eventually down to his fingers, grabbing them, then pulling him out in smooth strokes. Then he was lying on the pebbly shore, every inch of his skin hurting as the cold receded, chased away by the afternoon sunlight from the azure sky. He breathed, the only sound he could hear while his senses struggled against the memory of the river._

_Then he became aware that someone was watching him. He tried to sit up, but failed, lay back again as the maiden shook her head, motioning him to rest._

_A maiden dressed in shadows, he could only describe her as. A distant smell of forest leaves came from her ripped black kimono and metal beads stank from where they were threaded into her raven black hair. Her face was clean though, her cheeks so rosy they were dark like her aura. A silver chain, tarnished black with age, hung around her neck and on it was threaded a tarnished, battered, broken mirror._

_"Who are you?" young Inuyasha whispered._

_She only smiled. Never answered. Her eyes were pitch black but for a spark of blue, like staring into the night sky, searching for colour. Her nose was small and sharp like a tawny owl's beak. She knelt beside young Inuyasha, watching as colour returned to his pale face, and young Inuyasha even felt she might be admiring his silver hair. It's like starlight? He thought irrelevantly, and from that moment silently nicknamed the girl Midnight._

_That's who I'm looking for_, Inuyasha thought, his lips tightening. He'd not thought of her for a long time, he'd even assumed she was dead, but he couldn't forget her smell: the smell of the tarnished metal beads in her black hair and the dirt woven into her black kimono. His nostril flared as a new forest smell rose…very slightly different from the smell of the Forest of Inuyasha…_it's her_, he realised with a slight tremor of excitement, like he was still that little half-demon boy, searching for the rescuer who'd not seemed to notice what he was.

From out behind a tree trunk she stepped, so silently that Inuyasha stopped dead, feeling as clumsy as when he'd last seen her. And she smiled, that eerie, dark smile that, if Inuyasha had never seen her before, would have made him instinctively reach for his sword.

She parted her lips and mouthed his name, _Inuyasha_…

"What are you? Why do you carry that mirror?" Inuyasha asked.

A quizzical expression came over her clean face, and her slender, elfin hands reached to grip the wrought, twisted oval frame of the tarnished mirror around her neck. From the mirror, Inuyasha heard a tumble of sounds that seemed to rearrange in his head. _Shadows…of all…_

He took a deep breath, then showed her the rosary beads around his neck. "Can you…have you got the power to make another necklace like this?"

Midnight took a step towards him, freed one of her hands from the mirror, and used it to instead grasp the rosary beads, running her fingers along it.

From the mirror, spoke a simple word. _Why?_

"Retribution," he said coolly.

Again the mirror asked, _Why?_

He sighed, aggravated. "So she knows how it feels to be subject to her every whim."

Midnight smiled, took his rosary and showed it to her mirror, then let go of the rosary and reached into her mirror. From it, she teased out a rosary almost like Inuyasha's but that it was tarnished like Midnight's mirror.

"Does it work the same way as Kagome's?" he asked.

From the mirror, came one word. _Echo._

_It is an echo_, Inuyasha's mind filled in for him. Then Midnight turned and walked away, with no farewell, just like when he'd last seen her, leaving him to hold the tarnished rosary. A grin came to his mouth.

**Next: Inuyasha has to get the rosary around Kagome's neck. What length will he go to?**


	6. Chapter 6

Apologies for not posting a new chapter yesterday...I went to London and had a look at the great new newspaper exhibition at the British Library and went to the Sherlock Holmes Museum.

My extreme thanks to:

bankostuz-fair-lady, LadieSesshy, Mangas-Fan, Meatballheadedprincess14, Madison, SurvivalHorror, hentai18ancilla, Sayuri-chan 16, andtoo-lazy-to-log-in lol!

Please note: I am drunk while writing this chapter. Many apologies.

Disclaimer: Inuyasha isn't mine no matter how many times i say 'sit' aloud.

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Chapter 6 

Standing dazedly, looking at the tarnished rosary clenched in his palm, an inane grin on his face, Inuyasha heard Kagome and Shippo's running footsteps. He turned to let them keep knowing that he always knew where they were, and struggled to keep the grin off his face as he hid the rosary inside his kimono where it rested against his creamy shirt, a warm weight.

"What do you think you're doing, wandering off at night?" Kagome demanded.

A tinge of guilt went through Inuyasha at the worry on her beautiful face. "Just walking," he said defiantly though.

Now how the hell do I get it around her neck? He agonised, then turned on his heel and started walking back towards the hut. "Come on!" he called in an aggravated tone over his shoulder.

Kagome and Shippo exchanged puzzled glances but followed him back down the beaten forest track to the hut.

"Maybe it's the new moon," Shippo whispered. "It's coming tomorrow…maybe that's what's making him act weird."

"Uh huh," Kagome whispered back.

"I can hear you!" Inuyasha yelled at them. "There's nothing wrong with me! It's your brains that are broken! Paranoid! Both of you!"

Kagome breathed a sigh of relief but Shippo didn't look so convinced, eyeing the half-demon shrewdly. Inuyasha ignored him. "Hey, Kagome, are you gonna sleep outside?" He'd crossed his arms like he didn't care what her answer was.

"I don't know," Kagome said slowly, looking up at the stars that were beginning to pale, overpowered by the coming sunrise. Early morning already. "It's kinda cold, Inuyasha…no, I'll sleep in the hut."

"Then I'll sleep with you," Inuyasha said coolly with a shrug.

"You pervert!"

"Not WITH you, dummy!" Inuyasha yelled. "In the hut! I just said I'd sleep in the HUT!"

They'd both halted to concentrate on their dawning argument. Shippo sighed and stood still too, observing them and hoping he never started acting like them. Thank goodness a shiver ran through the air. Then the sky whispered drops of rain down upon them. Kagome growled like Inuyasha might. "Come on, Shippo!" she said, crouching quickly, and the fox-demon child jumped into her outstretched arms. "Let's not get wet!" Then she ran off ahead of them: her umbrella was in the hut and she was wishing, as the rain fell, that she'd thought to carry it with her.

Inuyasha followed in light leaps, thinking. It'd have been so easy to put the subjugation rosary on her in her sleep…I guess I can bear sleeping inside, he thought reluctantly though the wet air was stuffy. When the air was this humid he usually despised sleeping inside those stuffy huts…I've been spoiled, he thought humourlessly, thinking of the pleasant residences where Miroku had often managed to get them rooms for the night. Getting to the hut, he hesitated then pushed open the hut, slipping inside.

Kagome was peeling off her wet shoes and socks, wriggling her cold toes, wincing while Shippo shook out his bed blanket and prepared to snuggle down to sleep for the rest of the morning. Inuyasha stood there like an idiot for a second then went to the nearest corner where he had a good view of the door and couldn't be taken by surprise. Sinking into a cross-legged sit, he took the tetsusaiga in its sheath and let it lie across the lap of his kimono, and his head sank down.

"Inuyasha?" Kagome whispered, climbing into her bedroll.

Inuyasha just grunted.

"Inuyasha, I know you're not asleep." She sighed. "Inuyasha…you would tell me if something was wrong, wouldn't you?"

"What's wrong is having this stupid necklace on me," he muttered.

Kagome wrinkled her nose. "If you weren't wearing it, you'd have killed me and taken the sacred jewel ages ago."

"Yeah, but I wouldn't kill you any more," he growled. "You know that."

"Okay," she agreed. "But…" she shut her eyes, thinking. "If you didn't wear that necklace…I'd never be…" a faint flush reached her cheeks, "on an equal footing with you. I'm a good archer, okay, but you…you're strong. I'm just human."

"And that's the way it's meant to be," Inuyasha growled. "I'm meant to protect you!"

Kagome smiled, flattered like every other time Inuyasha had ever told her this. "But still…I need a way to stand up to you. Like, what if you let go of Tetsusaiga and became full demon? You'd…" she lowered her eyes. "You'd kill me."

Inuyasha opened his mouth to think, but couldn't think of an answer. He hunched lower over his Tetsusaiga.

Kagome tried to sleep, but for once, Inuyasha sitting there in the corner, watching her out of the corner of his eye, wouldn't let her.

"You have to sleep," he said quietly, frustration in his voice.

"What are we doing tomorrow?" Kagome stifled a yawn. "Are we going to go back for Miroku and Sango? Are they okay?"

"How should I know?" Inuyasha demanded grumpily then amended his answer as worry came over Kagome's face. "Fine. We'll get back together with them tomorrow."

Kagome smiled and sank her head back against her pillow. "Thank you, Inuyasha," she murmured then her eyes fluttered shut.

He waited a few minutes, his body tense, then slowly unfolded himself from his cross-legged sit and crawled to her, taking the subjugation necklace from inside his shirt. His ears twitched; he looked over at Shippo as the kid snuffled extra loudly. No, he was asleep thank goodness.

_Not that that runt could do anything to stop me_, Inuyasha thought smugly, then raised the necklace over Kagome's head.

Her lips parted. He stiffened again.

"Inuyasha...sit," she mumbled.

The necklace glowed for a second but Inuyasha was too busy slamming to the ground to notice. "Argh!"

"What!" Kagome bolted up from her sleep, then stared at the necklace around her neck. "Inuyasha!" she shrieked.

Spluttering, Inuyasha struggled to his feet and then pressed himself back against the wall, trembling at the fury in her voice. The forests themselves must have quivered at the young priestess's anger!

Kagome struggled with the necklace, trying to pull it off. It just glowed more fiercely every time. Finally she slumped, exhausted and stared at Inuyasha. "What have you done to me!"

If he hadn't been so terrified, he'd have been grinning.

"Wha?" Shippo woke up and blinked at them, then saw the necklace around Kagome's neck. "Argh!" he was with her in a second. "Inuyasha!" he yelled at the half-demon, a comical sight as he was just a kid staring angrily up at the lanky Inuyasha. "How could you do this to her!"

"Easily, brat," Inuyasha yelled.

Kagome was still for a moment, then burst into tears and grabbed her bag, leaving her bedroll, and ran from the hut.

"I can't believe him!" she sobbed. "Kaede! Kaede! Where are you?"

The priestess's hut was silent and dark as she ran to it.

A man emerged from his own hut, alerted by Kagome's panicked calls. "Milady?" he stammered.

"Do you know where Kaede is?" Kagome fought not to cry any more.

"She went with five men to slay a demon two miles from here," the man answered, watching her in puzzlement.

"Then I'm going to her," Kagome said decisively, fighting back a crying hiccup. "What direction?"

"Kagome!" Inuyasha yelled, running out from the hut.

"Tell me!" Kagome yelled at the man, and wordlessly he pointed North-East. She nodded and ran as fast as she could, her bow and a handful of arrows in her hand.

"Kagome!" Inuyasha screamed at her.

She spun around, stopped running, staring at him with loathing. "Don't come anywhere near me, Inuyasha," she commanded, "Or I will shoot you dead." She clenched her arrows in her hand.

"C'mon, I just wanted you to know what it's like to have one of those freaking necklaces around your neck!"

"You're lying! You're trying to control me! Now leave me alone, youkai!"

Inuyasha recoiled, not just at the venom in her voice but the way she'd said what he was, as though it was such a hateful, disgusting word.

"You're just a human! What do you know!" he yelled. "You've humiliated me all the time and now it's your turn!"

"Sit!" she yelled. "Sit! sit! sit! sit! sit! sit! sit! sit! Sit! Sit! SIT!"

"Inuyasha, you're such a jerk!" Shippo wailed, coming up behind him.

"Ow," Inuyasha said very, very, very faintly from the centre of the earth.

Shippo studied him for one second, then nodded as though to himself, and transformed with a Pop! Into a clumsy-looking albatross and sped off after Kagome.

An hour later, Inuyasha pulled himself out of the very deep pit he'd certainly dug himself, and using his tetsusaiga as a crutch, limped after Kagome.

She was far ahead, storming along at a fast pace, Shippo flying above her, terrified of how her aura was as angry as a demon's. In her head, she was imagining what would happen if she didn't get the necklace off...

_Coming into the cafeteria...her friends spotting her, "Hey, Kagome, come sit over here!"_

_Bang._

_Her mother, greeting her when she got back from the Feudal Era..."Kagome! You're back. How was the feudal era. Come sit down and I'll run you a bath."_

_Bang._

_No, wait!_ Relief flooded through her. _Only one person can say the word...and it might not even be that word!_

But oh god, Inuyasha...!

_"Hey Kagome..."_ she could imagine his smug, sweet voice. _"Come sit here..."_

_Bang._

_"Hey, Kagome, can I have some ramen?" His innocent gaze._

_"No! Get it yourself!"_

_"Sit."_

_Bang._

_I'll just have to give as good as I get_, she thought grimly.

"Kagome..." Inuyasha's voice was as faint as the evening. "Kagome...wait!"

"Sit," she snarled.

Bang.

She fancied she'd heard a bone crack. She hoped it was his neck.

_Kaede will figure out how to get rid of this necklace...she must!_

She strode faster. It can't be much farther!

Then a shadow blotted out the sky for a second. She halted.

"Kagome!"

Oh, what a welcome voice.

"Sango!" she yelled back, a sob breaking into her voice.

"Kagome, what are you doing, walking alone?" Miroku demanded as Kirara flew down and landed gently on her four paws, her fiery tail whipping the early-morning breeze.

"She's not alone," Shippo said, then pointed back behind them. "Inuyasha might as well tunnel underneath us, she's said sit so many times."

"I think you'd better tell us what's happened," Sango said. Miroku nodded in agreement.

Inuyasha pulled himself out of the ground again. "She's way overreacting," he complained faintly.

"Uh huh," Shippo said sceptically.

"You swine!" Sango took out her hirikoss and brandished it at Inuyasha. "You did that to Kagome? You absolute swine!"

"It's not like I've figured it out!" Inuyasha yelled hoarsely, turning his attention on the demon slayer. "Any time she says sit--"

Bang.

"--I get shoved into the ground," Inuyasha finished, not having heard the sound of Kagome hitting the ground.

"Inuyasha," Sango began warningly.

"Oh come on, can't we just sit--"

**_Bang_**

"--down and talk about this?" Inuyasha demanded.

"Inuyasha!" Kagome screamed in a muffled way from the ground, getting up a second time. "SIT!"

"Wha--!"

"Don't you get it?" Miroku demanded, staring down at the half-demon. "Any time you say 'sit', poor Kagome's getting her nose broken!"

Inuyasha stared at him dumbly. "That word? Sit?"

**Bang.**

"Sit!" Kagome shouted as she eased herself up from the ground, her nose bleeding.


	7. Chapter 7

My thanks to: Mangas-Fan, premierarchange, TwilightZelda, bankostuz-fair-lady, Bekuki Saramanca, The Fairy Princess Lady, hentail8ancilla, Lady Sesshy and thanks Shadowprincess for helping me out with developing the idea with your fantastic insanity! ;-)

This time I wasn't drunk while writing. And as many as you said, I was harsh on poor Kagome, so I'll give her this chapter to recover and Inuyasha to think about how he'll make it up to her...

Tessadragon.

Disclaimer: Inuyasha isn't mine and I can't think of any funny quips at the moment cos I'm all busy thinking how to plunge Kagome and Inuyasha into terrible peril...

* * *

Chapter 7 

"I'll help you with that," Miroku offered, finding Sango going through Kagome's supplies. She nodded, and together they rummaged through pots of ramen and boxes of ninja food. Both of them were tired, having travelled away from the road where they'd found Inuyasha, Kagome and Shippo, and where Kagome had related yesterday's traumatic events. Sango was still seething silently at it: what if Miroku took it upon himself to put a subjugation necklace on her? _I would have to kill him_, she thought, gritting her teeth.

Miroku mentally flinched, seeing her closed expression. "Why are we doing this anyway?"he asked. "Going through Kagome's supplies? Would she approve? She certainly doesn't approve when Inuyasha takes it upon himself to look."

"I told Kagome to go and bathe in the hot springs," Sango answered, taking a deep breath and silently assuring herself that she'd never let Miroku put a subjugation necklace on her!"To calm down."

"She's still upset?"

"Wouldn't you be?" Sango retorted. "Honestly, Miroku. I had to bandage her nose. No girl deserves that indignity."

"I suppose," Miroku said, imagining Sango with a broken nose. _No_, he decided, hiding a smile. _I'd never stop wanting to stroke her butt even if she had a broken nose_. The thought made his fingers itch. _Maybe if I distract her…_

"And how's Inuyasha?" he asked delicately.

"I'm surprised we don't have to splint every limb of his body," Sango said frankly, arranging the wood neatly to set alight. Then she froze, as Miroku's hand inched over her backside and settled to stroking it happily.

_Aaaaah…_

_**Wham!**_

It wasn't a handslap like usual. It was the log that Sango had in her hand. She eyed the monk coldly as he stared up from the ground, all dazed, but there was still a contented smile on his face.

"Monk, grow up," Sango muttered, then turned back to getting the campfire lit. "Honestly. You men…I don't know which of you is worse!"

"Inuyasha definitely!" Shippo said loudly from his vantage point at the high branches in the sycamore tree that afforded Sango such pleasant shade as the evening sun fought to heat the rain-soaked grass.

"Inuyasha certainly has exceeded his usual idiocy," Miroku agreed hastily.

"Hmph," but Sango did nod in reluctant agreement. "Miroku, will you watch the fire until it's ready to cook over? Shippo, come help me catch fish."

"Ooh! Fish!" Shippo jumped from the branches happily and scurried after her while Miroku stared musingly into the flames.

"Sango," Shippo asked as he waded into the river, his trousers rolled up to his knees. "Can we get rid of Kagome's necklace?"

"I don't know," Sango admitted, worried.

"What'll happen if we don't get rid of it? Or if Inuyasha doesn't grow up?"

Sango didn't answer.

"What'll happen?" Shippo pressed, more frightened by her silence.

Sango sighed. "I don't know. But I don't know if Inuyasha's aware…we're not as tough as he is. Kagome shouldn't be put through this!"

"Keh," Inuyasha muttered from the very top branches of the beech tree over the river where he was hiding, heavily hidden by bushes of leaves. His head was bent low, his ears nearly flat against his silver hair. His mouth was in a tight sullen line but his mind was in a state of shame after seeing Kagome's face. _I did that to her? I hurt her more with that than if I'd transformed into a full demon!_

His hands convulsed, his claws scraping the bark, sending flakes of it raining down the tree to the ground. Then he leapt out, a huge leap, into the sky and landed in a crouch, his kimono billowing around him, and he strode to the spring where Kagome was bathing. "Kagome!" he called ahead of himself.

Kagome stiffened, the warm waters lapping around her body, then she lowered herself a little deeper into the water. Her usually-kind eyes burnt with hatred.

"Kagome!" Inuyasha shoved aside his private self-inclination that usually drove him to steer clear of watching any girl bathe, and he watched her as she sat, small and guarded in her ways, in the hot spring.

Now his mind froze. _What do I do? What do I say? Sorry?_ And he realised that wouldn't be enough.

"What do you want?" her voice was dull, emotionless, like she'd used up her emotion.

_She's so beautiful_, something said in the back of Inuyasha's mind, seeing the curtain of Kagome's raven-black hair and how it lay upon her slender white shoulders. "Inuyasha." There was no questioning lilt to her voice, just deadpan quietness.

"I'm sorry," he blurted, then turned and ran.

Kagome lowered her eyes. _Why should I want to run after him? After he hurt me so much?_ She clenched her fists as she fought against the urge to follow him, but the lapping bubbles of the hot spring suddenly wasn't as soothing as it had been.

"Damn him!" she snapped and climbed out of the hot spring, reached for her towel and began drying herself, glancing out of the corner of her eye to check that she was alone. Once dressed, she walked back into the clearing. Her nose was less swollen than it had been last night but it radiated tingles of pain every few seconds.

"Kagome?" Sango's voice had that questioning lilt as she looked up from taking the grilled fish from the flames. "Are you alright?"

"Where did Inuyasha go?" Kagome's voice wasn't deadpan anymore. It was a whisper.

"I don't know," Sango said cautiously. "Did something happen?"

Kagome sank to the ground, her head bowed, then her shoulders shook. Immediately Sango went to her and hugged her. "It'll be okay," she tried to soothe, but Kagome was shaking her head as she sobbed. "It won't be okay! It won't! How can I still…how can I still love him when he hurt me?" She sobbed harder, and Sango held her until her sobs abated.

"Is she alright?" Miroku had just come back from the hot water spring where he'd just taken a turn bathing. His voice was deep with concern as he watched them.

"Miroku, take her to the well," Sango said quietly, letting Kagome curl up in exhausted sleep.

"Are you sure?"

Sango nodded. "She needs her own world. She needs to be away from Inuyasha."

"I don't think she'll have a problem with that," Miroku said.

"Why?" the slayer demanded.

"He's gone. He didn't say where, but he said we must keep ourselves safe."

"And you didn't stop him?" Sango stared at him, aghast.

"He didn't tell me face to face. He scratched a note on the ground." The monk looked at Kagome, who looked troubled even in her sleep. "Do we think we can keep Kagome safe without Inuyasha?"

"I suppose she's able to defend herself as well as us defending her," Sango said slowly, uncertainly.

"But we are used to Inuyasha being there alongside us," Miroku agreed with a grimace, taking one of the sticks of grilled fish, holding it while he thought, then he took another and handed it to Sango. Shippo wandered up from the river and happily grabbed his own grilled fish and took a huge bite. "Mmm!"

"You're right," Miroku said finally and bit into his grilled fish. "I'll take her to the well tomorrow," he said in a muffled voice and swallowed the fish. "We're quite a way from the well…Do you want to come or do you want to wait here?"

"I'll come."

Kagome lay curled up, listening to them and continued pretending she was asleep as she fought through the turmoil of emotions. _Do I want to go home?_

"It's your turn to go to the hot spring," Miroku suggested once he'd finished his fish. "I'll stay and watch over Kagome."

"I'll help," Shippo volunteered.

Sango smiled at the fox demon kid's enthusiasm. "Thank you, you two. I will."

Once she'd gone, Miroku yawned and lay on his back, his arms behind his head. "Miroku? Aren't you meant to be guarding Kagome?" Shippo demanded.

"I am," Miroku assured him. "I'll keep one eye open."

"Yeah right," Shippo muttered a few minutes later, when Miroku's open eye fluttered shut. "Guess I'd better guard 'em all."

"It's okay, Shippo," Kagome sighed, finally opening her eyes.

"Kagome?" Shippo looked at her anxiously. "Are you okay?"

She nodded and managed a weak smile. "I'm going for a walk, Shippo. I promise I'll be okay…I'll bring my bow and arrows with me."

"Are you going to look for Inuyasha?" Shippo asked bluntly, his lower lip jutting out in worry.

"I don't know," Kagome said truthfully, grabbing her quiver of arrows and her bow. Shippo watched her, troubled, as she walked away.

"Inuyasha, where did you go?" Kagome asked softly aloud, looking up at the trees.

A rustle of a branch shaking under someone's weight, then something plunged from the treetops.

Kagome shrieked, and a hand grabbed her, wrapping an arm around her, then pulled her after him back into the sky, exploding through the branches asshe screamed.


	8. Chapter 8

My thanks to: lena the polka dot, WineIXI, Mangas-Fan, Camthalion23, LadieSesshy, siren, fhdurhbuhbf, edmine, too-lazy-to-log-in, hentail8ancilla, premierarchange, TwilightZelda, Meatballheadedprincess14, and Sayuri-Chan 16.

Wow! It's a real learning curve, the feedback I get from everyone! It's amazing the views held on poor Kagome and Inuyasha and I struggle to be neutral for the two of them! Some think it's Inuyasha who's too selfish, while others think it's Kagome! Some think it's Kagome who's suffering more, and some think it's Inuyasha! So, just to see how it works out, I'm gonna let them both learn a lesson. Also, I'll try my best to involve the characters I've had most requests for!

Your faithful fanfiction writer,

Tessadragon

* * *

Chapter 8

"Let go of me!" Kagome shrieked at the humanoid-shaped demon leaping up the cliffs while gripping her so tightly in its elongated arms that it hurt. "You jerk! Let go of me!" The worst thing was that she could feel her bow and arrows pressed against her shoulder blades. "Why does this always happen!" she yelled but the wind whipped away her words. First it had been Koga leaping up cliffs with her in his arms, and Inuyasha...oh goodness, it didn't do well to dwell on how many times he'd done that to her!

If she could just…_break my arm and reach my arrows?_ She thought sarcastically, twisting harder in the demon's grasp as he leapt higher and higher, nimble as Inuyasha as he scaled the heights of the immense cliff until the world spun crazily around Kagome, blurs of green forests below and blue skies and wispy clouds above, the air streaming by them both in lines of darkness.

_Aha!_

Her fingers managed barely to reach one arrow. She threw more effort into it, then suddenly the arrow—that blessed arrow! That wonderful arrow!—was in her hand.

"Take this!" she yelled triumphantly and used all her force to pull her arm out of the demon's grip entirely, then shoved the arrow's head into the demon's eye.

It roared in agony, holy light shining from Kagome's arrow, and its grip loosened dramatically…for a second, Kagome hung in the air as though gravity was indecisive of what to do with her, then…

"Argh!" Kagome was plunging through the air.

"Save her, my lord! Please!" a girl's voice called shrilly from the ground far below.

"Rin…" an admonishing voice, not at all touched by the urgency of the situation!

"Eeee!" Kagome screamed, then someone plucked her easily from the air, hundreds of metres from smashing into the cliffs. Her eyes went as wide as saucers as she took in the sight of her rescuer. Impeccable, unmoveable Sesshomaru! Sesshomaru had saved her!

"My lord! Well done!" Rin cried joyfully from the ground as Sesshomaru gently touched his feet back to the ground and placed Kagome back on the ground.

"Thank you!" Kagome gasped.

Sesshomaru ignored her. "Rin, it's time, I believe, for you to go and get something to eat."

"Yes, my lord!" Rin smiled and reached for Kagome's hand, looking up at her trustingly. "Will you come with me, Priestess Kagome?"

"Um…yes," Kagome said slowly, still trying to process the fact that she'd been saved by Sesshomaru. Rin tugged her hand and led her quickly to the river, where she then waded into the shallows.

Her heart was still hammering. Kagome looked around. The cliffs overshadowed them. Thin and twisted trees bore handfuls of withered leaves. The sky far above was now a mustard colour and the air was warm and tense. There would be a storm soon.

"Aha!" Rin emerged triumphantly with a fish grasped tightly in her hands and splashed back to shore. "Kagome? Are you having some fish? I can get one for you!" she volunteered.

"It's alright," Kagome smiled weakly. "I'm not really hungry." She was too queasy to eat. Worried. But why?

A shape slashed down the cliffs, then there was the rumble of rocks…horrified, Kagome watched the cloud of rocks explode through the sky, heading towards the river…Rin! She raised her head, looking up towards the rocks heading towards her.

Kagome ran for her, grabbed her by the hand and ran across the river…the air turned colder as the rocks swallowed the light. Kagome threw her arms over Rin to protect her, then she felt heat from her quiver of arrows. Light bloomed out from her, like she was a rose at sunrise…Rin gasped, her eyes wide with wonder as she peeked past Kagome's arms, saw the rocks disintegrate above them.

They knelt in the river as dust and pebbles rained down upon them. From far above, an angry roar split the skies and then a shape as sharp as a blade plunged down towards them: it was the demon that had grabbed Kagome, coming back to wreak vengeance!

"My lord!" Rin shouted, pointing upwards excitedly. She and Kagome watched as Sesshomaru flashed through the sky, unsheathing his demonic sword Tokijin and beheaded the demon. It screamed and disappeared in a burst of blood-red light.

Slowly Kagome and Rin got up and left the river, Rin recovering faster than Kagome whose face was pale.

"Rin, make sure she has something to eat," Sesshomaru ordered.

"Yes, my lord!"

"And…Kagome. Do you have all your belongings?"

Kagome had forgotten that she'd left everything with Shippo, believing she'd been going to come back to them shortly. "No," she said shamefacedly. "I'd better go back to them…they'll be worrying."

"No." Sesshomaru said simply, then turned and walked away.

"No they won't be worrying or no, I shouldn't go back to them?" Kagome asked Rin softly. The little girl shrugged gave her a sweet smile. "It'll be alright. My lord is a good man." That said, she went to the fish she'd caught. Its death throes had ended, starved of water. Rin looked down at it, deciding, then went back to the river.

"Aren't you afraid?" Kagome asked. "Ever?"

"Why should I be?" Rin asked back. "My lord has always saved me. Aren't you not scared whenever my lord's half brother Inuyasha is around?"

"Sure, I've been afraid, whether or not Inuyasha is around," Kagome corrected her, "It's okay, Rin." She changed her mind as indecision flooded it. "I'll get myself some food."

Rin followed her towards the cliffs and from there to the tufts of grass, following that until it increased to weedy woodland, where a lone fern bush stood against the wind, though it was decidedly sad in its stature and strength. Crouching, Kagome dug her fingernails in and pried away some of its roots until she had a handful.

"Kagome! Here!" Rin came skipping back to her, her hands full of blackberries.

"Where'd you find those?" Kagome asked, delighted. Rin pointed out a path beyond the fern bush. Kagome followed it, squeezing between rocks until she found how a blackberry bush had strangely grown over some of the rocks. _She is smart_, Kagome thought admiringly of Rin. _I'd never think anything food-wise would grow in this part_.

"I am used to hunting," Rin said simply when Kagome asked her how she'd known to look there. Then she led the way back, sure-footed over the rocky ground, to where Sesshomaru waited, sitting on the ground, his furs rippling in the evening breeze. Shortly before they were in sight of him, the two girls heard Lord Jaken's shrill voice.

"My lord! Surely you are joking! We can't have another travelling with us! Especially not another human!"

"I gave you orders, Jaken," Sesshomaru said coldly. "Take A'houn and fetch the girl's belongings from their camp. I expect you back before tomorrow morning."

Jaken spluttered complaints, flabbergasted, but Sesshomaru had turned his attention away, gazing into the distance, contemplating something.

Kagome herself was in a state of confusion. _Is Sesshomaru thinking of adding me to his travelling party?_

It felt like her heart was twisting in her breast. She had to admit feeling safe now, but part of her was waiting, longing for Inuyasha, for her friends. _I don't belong here_, she thought sadly. But that sense of betrayal at Inuyasha for what he'd done to her, that remained at the forefront of the argument raging inside her.

_I did that to him since we met_, she thought. _I used to say 'sit' sometimes without even thinking. Sometimes I did it to save his life, or to try to. Sometimes I do it to make him realise how inconsiderate he is…it's not that I'm inconsiderate. It's that there's no other way to make him realise. He scoffs at human emotions, he only admits emotion when it's a new moon!_

At that thought, she jerked her head up towards the sky. _It's nearly a new moon_, she realised in shock. _Tomorrow night, he'll be human again for a whole night_…she had to admit, it was her favourite night of every month. It may be terrifying, Inuyasha being so vulnerable, but…

_You smell kinda nice, Kagome_. His softer voice ran through her mind like silk.

_I want to be there. Be there with him. _Inuyasha...

The first demon slaying had been straight-forward. Kaede, mounted on her faithful steed, looked up, grim-faced, at the revolting demon that had reared up at their arrival. She and the remainder of her demon-hunting party had been on their way back but a party of villagers had interrupted them on their journey and pleaded them for their help in slaying the demon. The old Priestess Kaede had no choice but to reassure them.

She could feel the fear of the men travelling with her, like a thunderstorm rolling in.

The demon opened its mandibles and spat a web of acid at them. Kaede raised her bow and arrow, while calling on her spiritual powers. _I will not allow my mind to halt_, she told herself firmly and fired the first arrow…it powered through the acid web, striking the demon squarely in its bulbous black eye and it screeched…

Red flashed through the sky.

"Iron reaper soul stealer!" Inuyasha snarled, slashing his claws, then the demon wavered and exploded.

"Inuyasha!" Kaede shouted, startled. The half-demon drifted back down to the ground, landing easily, his brow furrowed in concentration. "Hey, old woman, what do girls like?"

Kaede blinked her good eye at him. That's certainly the last question I'd expect from him! "What do girls like?" she repeated uncertainly.

"What do girls like," Inuyasha said again even more impatiently, tapping his bare foot on the dusty ground again.


	9. Chapter 9

My thanks to: That Bloody Demon, Mangas-Fan, Camthalion23, Coke-48-Kenshin, Sayuri-chan 16, premierarchange, hentail8ancilla, TwilightZelda, and Meatballheadedprincess14.

I've been asked if this is a Kagome-Sesshomaru fiction or a Kagome-Inuyasha fiction...i guess if i had to choose, it'd be a Kagome-Inuyasha fiction.

And thirdly, the next chapter shall be the last of this story. I've really enjoyed telling this story: I've been amazed by the level of support and feedback I've had on this story! It's kept me smiling all week.

Tessadragon

* * *

Chapter 9 

He wants me to stay with him, Kagome thought numbly. _First he saved me from that demon...Sesshomaru saved _me_ from that demon! (On Rin's request_, her mind reminded her firmly_) and now he wants me to stay with him?_

She took a deep breath. _I can't. I don't belong here. I belong with Inuyasha...he may be a jerk...but he's my jerk. And,_ she privately admitted, _sometimes I've been a jerk too. Though he's the biggest jerk sometimes..._ she interrupted her own thoughts, making her way towards Sesshomaru, who turned from where he was standing in the shade of the many trees, eyeing her coolly.

"Why would you want me to stay with you?" Kagome asked bravely.

Sesshomaru impassively watched her. "You saved Rin. You'd have sacrificed yourself for her. That is all."

"Just because I did the decent thing, you'd want me to stay with your group?" Kagome shook her head. "Lord Sesshomaru, that can't be all. If it was, it'd mean you offered a place to everyone who saved Rin's life. Many people care for children and would have done exactly the same thing in my place."

Sesshomaru looked away. "Are you wishing to go back to…Inuyasha?" there was a hint of threat in it, but Kagome ignored it. "Not exactly. I'm just…trying to figure you out." She looked Lord Sesshomaru in the eye. "When we first met, you tried to kill me."

"But you survived."

"Thanks." Kagome slumped to her knees, a confused look on her face; she bit her lip, thinking hard. _Inuyasha tried to kill me when we first met…but then again, he'd kinda saved me first. How absurd this all is!_

_Will she like it?_ A nervous voice was rattling inside Inuyasha's head as he leapt in his running stride across the land, following Kagome's scent intently. Then he stopped dead, picking up another, very familiar scent.

_Sesshomaru..._

His upper lip curled in a snarl. The nervous voice in his skull was swallowed by an explosion of worry. _Is Kagome alright!_

"Kagome," he whispered angrily, then ran faster, his red fire-rat kimono billowing around him. _Sesshomaru! If you've hurt Kagome, I'll kill you! No, I'll kill you anyway! Don't even touch her!_

"I can't stay with you,"Kagome said finally.

"Not even for Rin?" Sesshomaru eyed her implacably.

"She has you and Jaken," Kagome answered. "Inuyasha needs me."

"Only Inuyasha? You only want to be with a half-demon?"

"He cares for me…and I care for him."

"And you think he can protect you?"

Did Kagome detect derision in Sesshomaru's detached tone?

"He always has," Kagome said quietly.

Sesshomaru came to her, then cupped her chin in his hand. "And did he protect you from those bruises?" he asked, and traced a cold finger down her cheekbones.

Kagome's lips tightened as he traced the bruises from where Inuyasha himself had hurt her by saying 'sit'. She couldn't think of anything to say to Sesshomaru's question.

"Fine." Sesshomaru looked past Kagome, and as smooth as electricity, surged to his feet, his hand at his sword, his face remaining emotionless. "There you are, little brother."

Kagome spun around. Inuyasha watched her, betrayal etched on his face. He'd seen Sesshomaru touch Kagome's face...and he'd seen that Kagome hadn't pushed his older brother away. Kagome stepped back, her eyes wide.

"Sesshomaru! How dare you!" His hand flicked Tetsusaiga from its sheath and then he was running over the dry grass, lunging at Sesshomaru.

The older demon simply stepped back, the blade whistling past his nose. "Little brother, your aim is off. Your heart is ruling your head. As usual."

"How dare you kidnap Kagome!" Inuyasha roared.

"No! Inuyasha!" Without thinking, Kagome threw herself between the two brothers. Inuyasha's tawny-gold eyes widened and in desperation he fought the force he himself had thrown into Tetsusaiga's swing, and the blade slammed into the dirt.

Silence.

Inuyasha's heart beat fast.

Kagome's heart beat faster. "Inuyasha," she whispered.

"You idiot!" he whispered back at her, astounded. "You could have got…" he couldn't bring himself to say it. _I could have killed her with my own sword…_

Kagome reached her hand forward, grasped his. "I trust you."

"But you could have got killed, stupid!" Inuyasha yelled at her.

Kagome's face darkened. "And I say you wouldn't let me get killed!" _I know you, Inuyasha…like you know me._

Inuyasha gritted his teeth and turned to his older brother. "Why'd you kidnap her, anyway?" he spat. "She's just a human…she shouldn't be involved!"

"Inuyasha!" Kagome yelled at him. "He didn't kidnap me!"

The half-demon stared at her. "He didn't?"

"He didn't," Kagome said firmly. "He rescued me from the demon that was really going to kidnap me."

Inuyasha stared at her. "Um…did you get hit on the head? Or have I got hit on the head? I could've sworn you just said Sesshomaru saved you."

"Sesshomaru saved me," Kagome assured him, and smiled nervously. _Should I tell him that Sesshomaru's practically asked me to stay with him, Jaken and Rin?_

_No_, a little voice inside said.

She looked at Sesshomaru. "I need to go now. But thank you for saving me. I hope you, Rin and Jaken have good travels, and that you are all safe."

Inuyasha felt like he'd missed something.

"I suggest you go now before I get tired and behead you," Sesshomaru told his little brother calmly, his head of silver hair gleaming in the night air, his immense white furs rippling lightly against the breeze.

Kagome laid her hand on Inuyasha's arm before he could respond. "We should go, please!" she begged.

Inuyasha went red. "Fine," he muttered, then grabbed her and leapt away before his instincts could enrage him into going back to try and beat up Sesshomaru.

"Hey! Where are we going, Inuyasha?" Kagome yelled a few minutes later when she realised that he was going in the exact opposite direction than where everyone had been camped last time she saw.

_Oh my god, it's so beautiful_, something inside her breathed. It was night; dew-laden air whipped past her as Inuyasha carried her. Stars gleamed bright in the darkness. Her exhilarated laugh was carried away on the wind. Inuyasha grinned, leapt higher than he'd ever done before, forgetting Sesshomaru.

"Inuyasha!" Kagome leaned closer to his ear, talking into it against the wind. "Look ahead! Do you see him?"

"Yes!" Inuyasha yelled back, spotting Jaken, riding A'Houn through the night sky. Inuyasha gave Kagome a grin------

"Stupid humans!" Jaken muttered as A'Houn carried him back towards where Lord Sesshomaru was. He had Kagome's gear stacked behind him: he'd easily stolen it! "How could he even think of this!" His voice rose to a wail. "Oh Lord Sesshomaru!"

A'Houn made a surprised sound as something red leapt at him, then the lizard creature shook himself: the bags on his back were gone and he didn't mind not having to carry so much.

Jaken stared, dumbfounded. "Did I just hear a human laughing?"------

Kagome's laughter carried away on the wind as Inuyasha swept forward on their journey, Kagome's bags on his shoulder. There was a pleased, mischievous look in his tawny-gold eyes as he leapt lower, plunging into forest greenery then leaping from branch to branch, dew-soaked leaves brushing against them both.

Then finally Inuyasha dropped to the ground and set her on her feet in the centre of the clearing. A circle of the night sky, thick with stars, could be seen through the canopy of tree branches and leaves. He hesitated for a moment, then took her by the hand and led her a few steps forward, laying his other hand over Kagome's eyes. She didn't object. Her heart was racing so fast…

"Where are we, Inuyasha?" Kagome asked softly. Inuyasha didn't answer. Kagome took a deep breath and nearly sneezed on the thick scent of flowers wafting around her.

Then Inuyasha took his hand from Kagome's eyes. She blinked, getting accustomed to the darkness, then blinked in amazement. She surrounded by flowers. Crouching, she picked one up. Its petals were so dainty they felt like they'd fall to silky dust in her palm.

"Did you do this, Inuyasha?" she whispered.

"Kaede said girls like flowers," Inuyasha mumbled, going red.

Kagome stood on her tiptoes and kissed him on the mouth. His eyes widened, then he returned the kiss timidly.

"Thank you, Inuyasha," Kagome whispered, turning and gazing at the flowers, completely swept away by how many there were surrounding her. "No one's ever done so much for me."

"And…" Inuyasha scratched the back of his neck, embarrassed now. "I did some food. Are you gonna sit down—"

**Bang.**

* * *

I know many of you think it is cruel to mistreat Kagome in this way. But this one was necessary. You will see why, in the last chapter. 

Tessadragon


	10. Chapter 10

And now I present to you, the last chapter of 'Kagome and the Beads of Subjugation'. For the last time, I thank you reviewers for all your kind comments and for enjoying the story, and hope this last chapter rounds off the story well enough.

So, thank you to: That Bloody Demon, TwilightZelda, Mangas-Fan, Meatballheadedprincess14, Inu's Chipmunk, amanda hopeless romantic, NefCanuck, Coke-48-Kenshin, hentail8ancilla, and Threaded Souls of Silk.

Tessadragon

* * *

Chapter 10

Spluttering, Kagome woke up when Inuyasha carefully tipped a bottle of water over her face. "Oh god, my face hurts," she moaned, reaching her fingers up and touching her cheeks, then her nose very gently. Involuntarily she hissed in pain as she remembered why she'd passed out. _He said 'sit'…oh, I really should return the favour…_

But instead she spluttered because some of the water Inuyasha had tipped over her face had got into her mouth and stuck in her throat. Mingling with the taste of that water was the coppery taste of her own blood. Her nose was the source of that: it was terribly swollen and she could only imagine how bad it looked.

"Don't touch it," Inuyasha ordered, getting back up to his feet. "Just wait here."

"Where are you going?" Kagome asked, struggling not to cry: it hurts so much to have a broken nose, and is even worse when you can feel the blood encrusted there.

"I'm going to get some herbs," he said sternly. "Just relax."

She sighed, "I should come with—"

"No!" He took off running, leapt out of sight.

Kagome slumped to the ground. _That berk,_ she thought and it strangely come out quite affectionately in her mind. _I should be angry at him…he said 'sit'. It's his fault I've got a broken nose! What will my family and friends back home think?_

Then he was back again, landing in the soft grass, his arms full of herbs and grasses.

"What do you need all those herbs for?" Kagome asked curiously.

"Dinner," he said sarcastically. "Now just stay still. And chew this." He handed her a handful of soggy leaves. Kagome sniffed it and went green, then pale. "Urgh!" she gasped. "It stinks! And oh god, my nose!"

Inuyasha couldn't help but laugh at her. "Don't breathe through your nose when it's broken, dummy!"

"And who broke it?" Kagome smiled sweetly at him.

"And who's fixing it?" Inuyasha retorted, then pushed her back against the ground.

Kagome squeaked. "What're you…!"

"Hold still!" Inuyasha clamped his hand against her forehead. "Let me do this."

"But what are you doing?" Kagome demanded, her voice muffled.

"Mending your nose, dope." Inuyasha carefully pinched his thumb and index finger over the bridge of her nose. Kagome swallowed a gasp of pain and Inuyasha ruthlessly ignored her, concentrating on checking that her nose was straight, using his fingers to manipulate her nose, trying to do it as quickly as possible.

Finally he let go of her, then realised that he was sitting on top of her. His eyes widened, his cheeks went really red and he scrambled backwards, finally tripped over himself and landed on his butt in the grass.

Kagome swallowed a giggle. Inuyasha glared at her, then shook his head and knelt facing her. "So you're okay? You were unconscious for a while. And..." he took a deep breath, "Are you angry at me?"

"I don't feel mad," Kagome said slowly. "Though maybe that's more a concussion."

A frantic look came over Inuyasha's face at that. Kagome took a deep breath, touched by the concern that lay within his usually pessimistic, aloof tone: with that breath she painlessly inhaled the scent of somewhat-wilted flowers all around them: a heady scent like when she'd walked through the makeup sections of department stores with her friends.

Then she realised it'd been a painless effort to breathe through her nose. Cautiously she touchedher nose withthe tip of one finger. It still felt swollen, but she could breathe."How'd you do so well at that?" she sat up, watching Inuyasha intently.

He went red, his ears twitching. "Do well at what?"

"At mending my nose."

"I got practise."

"You practise mending your own nose?" Kagome stared at him.

"Yeah. You think my face is impervious every time you tell me to sit?" Inuyasha raised an eyebrow, watching her stoically.

Kagome was silent for a moment. "I'm sorry," she said finally.

"Yeah well, I'm tougher than you," Inuyasha said roughly, then leaned closer and grabbed the shadowy subjugation necklace from around Kagome's neck, making to lift it over her head…

It glowed white, but refused to come off.

"What's going on?" Kagome fought not to worry. The necklace had to come off. She felt dizzy just at the thought of what should happen next time Inuyasha said 'sit'. Something inside told her that it would be a lot worse, that she'd come off easy so far…

Inuyasha fought with the necklace so hard, his ears flattening against his silver hair, and then he fell against her.

There was a faint clatter as Inuyasha's subjugation rosary's beads touched Kagome's own shadowy version, then Kagome's beads vanished into the beads of Inuyasha's subjugation rosary.

So there they were, Inuyasha accidentally on top. And it was another of those moments where they were both so embarrassed, but still kinda wanting to not move…

_Come on, Kagome,_ she silently rebuked herself. _You can't do this…why not?_ A small voice asked inside. _Come on. Tell him…tell him you love him—_

Inuyasha was trembling. _I don't want to move…but goddammit, Kagome's gotta be getting mad at me. She's gonna tell me to sit! Any second now!_

He shut his eyes, preparing himself for the bruises. But nothing came.

"I think…you'd better get off me," Kagome said breathlessly as he was still inches from falling against her, his arms holding him up. Inuyasha mumbled something inaudible then scrambled to get away, watching her fearfully, then swopping his gaze to somewhere else, as jittery as a flea, then nervously shooting a small glance at Kagome again. Then their eyes met, fixing nervously on each other.

Finally Kagome shut her eyes. "Thank you," she said, feeling like a weight had been lifted from her. But in a way, a new weight was settling on her. _You're never going to get up the courage to tell him how you feel about him?_

"I guess I'll never understand why you insist on having the stupid thing on me," Inuyasha said, his tawny-gold eyes solemn, his mouth a small line.

"Huh?" Kagome said, startled.

"This." Inuyasha tugged at the subjugation rosary he wore.

Kagome thought for a moment. Then she took Inuyasha's hands in her own. "Inuyasha," she said quietly, truly regretful. The words were hard to find. She was silent for a long moment, then Inuyasha beat her to it.

"No. I know," he said abruptly. His hands tightened around hers as he looked down upon her, protectively. He was remembering what had nearly happened today: remembering Kagome leaping out in front of Sesshomaru, as he'd raised his own Tetsusaiga high, hungry to deliver the final blow…and then fighting to stop it…

"When you were with my brother…when I had Tetsusaiga…I nearly killed you," Inuyasha said slowly. "And that wasn't even when I wasn't demon. Even as a half-demon, I'm too dangerous around you. If I killed you—or even hurt you! I'd never forgive myself."

His tawny-gold eyes glittered. "If I have to wear that stupid necklace just to keep you safe…I will. I won't like it. Don't expect me to like it. But…I'll like that you're safe. That I can keep you safe."

"Inuyasha…" Kagome whispered, then kissed his mouth very timidly.

_I want to kiss her back. Should I? Or is this just a thank you kiss? Dammit, girls are too complicated!_

A frown had sneaked onto his face. He removed it too late: Kagome had spotted it. _I went too fast,_ she thought, horrified at herself. She tried to cover up her own emotions…

"I think we need to get back to the others," Inuyasha said finally. "They might be wondering where we are."

"Didn't you tell them?" Kagome demanded, jumping to her feet. "Inuyasha! Don't they have any clue where we are!"

"I was a bit busy!" Inuyasha yelled. "Rescuing you, remember?"

"More like trying to kill your brother! As usual!" She gave a wordless shout of exasperation. "Inuyasha! We've been gone a whole lot of hours! We have to get back to them right now!"

"Fine." He grabbed her around the waist, and her bags on one shoulder, then leapt off into the early morning light.

_One day I'll tell you, Kagome. I'll tell you that I love you._

_One day I'll tell you, Inuyasha. I'll tell you that I love you._


End file.
